The 10 Best Trailers Of 2017

Movies and video games go through a long process before they reach you on your couch. 2017 was full of good reasons to veg out on a weekend or take a trip to the movies, but sometime we forget to honor the part of the process where we actually find out our favorite (or least favorite) movie or game in the world exists.

There's an art to trailers. The excitement of a new reveal. Precision edits set to needle drops. Sometimes they tell compelling stories that stay with you for months and sometimes they just spoil the whole movie. We don't appreciate them enough either way, so I decided to cull the best game and movie trailers of 2017, in no particular order. Don't skip these.

1. Logan

Logan's Western aesthetic is part of what separates the film from other superhero movies (with varying levels of pretentiousness from fans). That aesthetic was hammered home with the movie's somber first trailer, set to the tune of Johnny Cash's "Hurt." The best kind of somber intensity builds around the story of Logan/Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) and his quest to help Laura (Dafne Keen) and Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) to the Canadian border. I'm not crying, you're crying.

2. Shape Of Water

Guillermo del Toro has a whimsy to his work that makes its darker undertones even more disturbing. The Shape of Water is no exception, basically a revamp of Creature From The Black Lagoon with a Cold War setting and 80% more romance. The back half of the film's first trailer is soundtracked with sweet French music while the story of romance and intrigue between Eliza (Sally Hawkins) and the nameless creature (Doug Jones). It's sweet, creepy, and intriguing beyond words.

3. Black Panther

Black Panther is a full circle moment for Marvel Studios. A character people have been asking to see on the big screen for years is finally getting their chance this coming February, and the build up in that first trailer was palpable. Seeing T'Challa/Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) and the Dora Milaje in action set to a thumping mashup of Gil-Scott Heron and Vince Staples? Sign me up!

4. Infinity War

We waited wat felt like an eternity for Marvel to drop this one out of the sky, and it was worth it. A decade's worth in intermovie continuity coming to a head as Thanos (Josh Brolin) finally makes his way to Earth for a huge standoff with The Avengers, the nation of Wakanda, and potentially space-faring friends like Thor and the Guardians of the Galaxy. It's been watched over 100 million times since debuting a few weeks ago. The memes have been endless. This trailer is an event in and of itself.

5. Spider-Man (2018 game)

Spider-Man 2 is the bar that every game based around the wall cralwer has been trying to clear since. Insomniac Games is making their pass at it with an older Peter Parker, a plot by Mr. Negative, and more web-swinging action. This is mostly a story trailer, but the bits of gameplay mark this as the most enthralling in-game New York City in quite some time.

6. The Last Of Us II

The Last Of Us is drab and bleak in the same way most post-apocalyptic media is these days. The first trailer for the much anticipated sequel left me wondering what world I was heading into next, but it became clear once the pace picked up. Pacing is just one thing The Last Of Us does really well, and it's looking like the sequel will be no exception.

7. Beyond Good and Evil II

Trailers have surfaced for this prequel to the Michel Ancel nearly 15-year-old critical darling, but they all proved to be dead ends. This new trailer debuting at E3 2017 was our first trip back into the game's crowded cuity, albeit much earlier in time. A team of pirates robbing a pig overlord of a memory chip is classically cinematic and thrilling that I would even take a full-length movie over the game at this point. But I'll work with what I (eventually) get.

8. Super Mario Odyssey

Mario has been innovating gaming for over 30 years at this point. The sheer excitement that comes with watching Super Mario Odyssey's newest gimmick of hat possession is spellbinding on its own, but combined with the song "One-Up Girl" on the soundtrack, this trailer exemplifies the magic of trailers. I walked away feeling warm and fuzzy and potentially a bit more ready for that Universal Mario movie coming in the next few years. I really need to get a Switch.

9. Death Stranding

Few people are sure of what Death Stranding even is. This trailer for Hideo Kojima and Norman Reedus' new game is perplexing and intriguing, the weirdest two minutes you might experience this year. And I can't wait to find out what's going on behind the scenes.

10. Deadpool 2

Sometimes, heroes just want to paint. The first teaser set Deadpool up for some back alley fun, but it's the second where Deadpool shows up as Bob Ross for some crass painting fun that really got me ready for another adventure with the Merc With A Mouth. I'll never look at a tiny bush the same way again.